Ockenden Manor Hotel & Spa

Very disappointed, been there 5 years ago and compared to this visit it was night and day. It was tired but also dirty! And I just could not forgive this. Raised this to the spa team that ignored it and to the general manger who has not responded to my email.

Great Spa, couldn’t really fault it. Modern, spacious, not crowded. Limited inside seating but great outdoor facilities. A relaxing experience!! The hotel, not as great. We had a cosy room. First room, Timothy, avoid!!! Dark, small, impractical bathroom. After 1 night changed to another room in the same category. Bigger, brighter room with a bathroom you could actually use. The first room had a bath with no shower, the bath was too small to use though. 2nd room had a functional bathroom with enough space. First room narrow entrance with low ceiling, felt cramped on walking in. Walter, the 2nd room did not have these issues. Stay here , just not in Timothy.

The hotel is beautiful and the staff are so polite and welcoming (particularly Amelia) . Our room (Lily) was lovely, with views looking out onto the hotel grounds. The spa was relaxing and the complimentary tea and coffee whilst in the spa area is a great addition. The only thing we would say is there was some loud gardening work with electric hedge trimmers most of the Friday morning which made it slightly difficult to relax outside at that time. I’m unsure if this was definitely part of the spa maintenance though or something separate.

The spa facilities are definitely the winning feature of this property! We booked an overnight spa stay with a treatment at Ockenden, mid week and the spa building really stands out. We had a whole day at the spa and both booked a Isopod flotation tank each. This was our first time trying this treatment and it was very unique. The Isopod room was very well presented and private, with a shower for pre and post treatment & the therapist explained everything perfectly to us! My partner has epilepsy and although these treatments aren’t recommended for people with epilepsy, the staff were super accommodating & allowed me to sit in the room with him whilst he experienced this which was lovely & allowed him to enjoy this too! The swimming pool is a great size with a swim out section bringing a mixture of indoor & outdoor. They also have an indoor hot tub and outdoor hydro pool so lots to do! Their sauna and steam room were huge which we found super cool. The temperature of all the pool areas were perfect! They had a few relaxation areas and a lovely cafe with free teas and coffees. The spa areas throughout were lovely and quiet which was perfect & not something you always get with spas with so much to offer. We did use the gym in the morning and although it was small, it had enough for us to do. The equipment was quite outdated and the room with the free weights was in use due to back to back classes but we managed to get a nice light workout in. Changing rooms were lovely and clean with some really smart lockers, this made us feel very safe about leaving our stuff. There are free flip flops and spa robes to use whilst you are in the spa & you can swap these for fresh whenever you like as these were constantly stocked up, same with the towels. The hotel did let this stay down unfortunately. The property is very outdated and the rooms did not reflect value for money in our opinion. Our room was directly above reception so could hear the phone ringing late into the evening, we only had an old style freestanding bath which was not convenient as this was extremely small to bathe in and to use the shower head, would lead to water everywhere. Also our room door was key locking / unlocking however this could not be locked from the inside so we had to leave this unlocked overnight which made us feel unsafe. When we woke up, we were greeted by maintenance works happening at around 8am in the room directly next to us. Drilling and banging which we felt could have been postponed to abit later in the day to avoid guests sleeping / just waking up. The restaurant was a very grand room however very empty & we were seated close to the only other couple seated which with the very quiet atmosphere made our evening quiet awkward as we didn’t want to talk too loud to be overheard. The food was lovely however pricey for what was on offer. Breakfast was also very basic for the price paid. We would certainly return to the spa however we would not stay at the hote

Will not return. I checked in on one of the hottest days of the year, 35 degrees, I gave my credit card details and then was told the air con in my room wasn't working, in the new spa suite room. Appalling. Then the window in my room did not fully open, a member of staff couldn't open it either. Fruit salad at breakfast was mouldy. My 2 nights cost over £900. I wrote to the General Manager politely requesting a refund of one night and I haven't heard back. I also sent pics of mouldy pineapple and a broken window. Do not go.

Occasion was a big birthday celebration for three sisters who rarely get any quality time together. Our stay was outstanding from start to finish, from the reception, staff, treatments, facilities, room and general ambience. We would highly recommend this place as a place to unwind with nature and in nature, a place to leave the stresses behind and relax and enjoy. It's a fabulous location and worthy of 5 starsL